Tampy Bay adds protection for lineup with trade for B.J. Crombeen

The Tampa Bay Lightning has acquired right wing B.J. Crombeen and a fifth-round pick in the 2014 draft from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for both their 2013 and 2014 fourth-round picks.

Crombeen, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, has played in 288 career NHL games with the Blues and Dallas Stars, registering 27 goals and 56 points with 580 penalty minutes. He has logged more than 148 penalty minutes in three of the previous four seasons.

The only one in which he did not reach that mark was last season, when he recorded 71 PIM in 40 games played. During the 2010-11 season he led the Blues in penalty minutes with 154 and was tied for sixth in the NHL with 17 fighting majors.

A native of Denver, Crombeen registered a goal and three points last season with 50 shots on goal. He has averaged 12:03 in ice time per game during his career, including more than 12 minutes in three of the previous four seasons.

Crombeen, 27, was drafted by Dallas in the second-round, 54th overall, of the 2003 draft. He was claimed off waivers by St. Louis on Nov. 18, 2008.

@boltprospects had a couple of tweets on the move and how it might impact Tampa Bay affiliate Syracuse:

"Crombeen doesn't necessarily take a spot from a prospect, but may push JT Wyman to the pressbox or Syracuse.''

and

"Aside from Wyman, maybe the player most directly affected by the Crombeen trade is PC Labrie. That role was PC's ticket if there was one.''